Skopje, 24 December 2024 (MIA) - Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski urged vendors on Tuesday to “reexamine their attitude” regarding the prices of food products and said he would ask the State Market Inspectorate to carry out an urgent inspection to determine the reasons for the hikes in the prices of basic food products over the past 30 days.

“At a government session I will request a robust action by the State Market Inspectorate since I am receiving information that some of the markets are speculating and using certain tricks. I don’t function with tricks, and those who think they will function with tricks are fooling themselves. They can’t abuse what we’ve given to them as a right and opportunity for certain products by dramatically increasing the prices of other products like cooking oil, bread, eggs, flour... We will fiercely oppose those who think they’ve outplayed us. It is shameful for them to be doing this ahead of the coming holidays. We wanted to show goodwill and now see how they repay us,” Mickoski told journalists.

The Government introduced its “New Year’s consumer basket” measure in early December in an attempt to reduce the prices of food products by around 10 percent ahead of the holidays. However, the citizens note that there have been no significant drops in prices as a result of the measure, while the prices of basic food products such as flour, cooking oil and eggs have risen. The measure is in place until January 15. 

Photo: MIA Archive